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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · craft · rule · march · key · racket

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — employees
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. staff — a stick
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rule — government
  10. key — the most important part
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — for a lock
  13. staff — employees
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. key — in music
  17. march — the month
  18. rule — a law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com